Teutonic Crusades
The Teutonic Crusades (1191-1525) were a series of wars between the Christian powers of western Europe and the Orthodox and Pagan nations of Eastern Europe. An offshoot of the Crusades in the Near East, these wars were fought mainly between the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, although they also fought against Novgorod; the Kingdom of Poland swayed between sides depending on the aggressor. The wars, which saw paganism stand up to Christianity (although Lithuania later converted to Christendom), ended in 1525 when the last Teutonic stronghold of Marienburg was captured by the Polish and the Teutonic Knights ceased to be a military power. = Background = In the 1000s, conflict flared up in the Baltic states when King Wladyslaw I of Poland launched campaigns against the pagan Livonians in present-day Latvia and Lithuania. The Kingdom of Poland rose to power as a great nation in eastern Europe, and one of few that adhered to the Papal States. However, the Orthodox Novgorod grand duchy also rose in fame as they conquered the Kievan Rus and established themselves as the masters of Russia. The threat posed by the rise of Orthodoxy as well as a resurgence of pagan warfare resulted in the Polish inviting the Teutonic Order (a monastic order of crusading knights founded in Acre in 1191) to assist them in the crusades against the infidels. = Wars = Novgorod Early Warfare ]] ]]The Poles found themselves betrayed by their erstwhile partners as the Teutonic Order had an enemy-friend pendulum swinging; the knights plundered Poland at times, and at other times asked for their military assistance. The Pope did not control the knights as they would a kingdom, so the Teutonic Order was a mad dog without a leash. They set up their capital at Marienburg, and had many chapters spread across eastern Europe, including one called the "Livonian Brothers of the Sword". In 1236, the pagans achieved their first victory by defeating the Livonian Brothers at the Battle of Saule, with Lithuanian leaders Mindaugas, Vykintas, Tautvilas, and Edivydas ambushing and cutting down the knights. Meanwhile, Novgorod repulsed attacks by the Swedes, ending in the 1240 Battle of the Neva. The Order and an army of German crusading knights invaded Russia in hopes of taking control of the Orthodox lands and converting them to Papal authority, but Grand Duke Alexander Nevski defeated the crusaders in the 1242 Battle on the Ice. This battle ensured that Novgorod would remain in the game. In 1241, the Mongol Empire invaded Poland while they expanded farther east. Previously, in 1238, they conquered most of Russia, although Novgorod paid them a handsome tribute to avoid their occupation. In 1241, at the Battle of Liegnitz, the Mongols destroyed the Polish and Crusader army, and they settled down with their capital at Kiev. The result was the establisment of the Golden Horde as a major power in the Crusades. Rise of Novgorod ]]After the "Battle on the Ice", there was no reason why Novgorod could not become a great empire. Alexander Nevski had designs on the conquest of the surrounding Rus rebel regions, but he also dreamed of pushing the Danes out of Estonia, the Teutonic Knights out of Livonia, and the Mongols out of Belarus and Ukraine. In 1250, Nevski's son Prince Dmitrii conquered Mstislavl from Captain Iosif's Rus rebels, expanding the Novgorodian empire. In 1253 he conquered the city of Tosno, northeast from Novgorod, from the Rus rebels of Captain Kozel. At the same time, Dmitrii took Mglin from Captain Chort's Rus rebels. Five years later, Novgorod entered war with Denmark in the Novgorodian-Danish War, taking control of Narva quickly. In Ukraine, Chornobyl was taken by Dmitrii from the Rus rebels, adding a new province to Novgorod's empire. In 1259, they bribed the garrison of Reval, and completed their dominance of Estonia, forcing Denmark out of the Baltics. The Fall of the Golden Horde flag]]After taking over Denmark's lands in the Baltics and securing many bordering rebel regions, Novgorod planned to conquer the Mongol Golden Horde, who spread Islam to the traditional Orthodox homeland of Kiev. In 1262 they captured Chernigov from Khanzada Ghazatai, killing a Mongol faction heir and many troops. Chernigov was liberated, brought back to Orthodox Christianity by Prince Dmitrii. Two years later, they captured Kiev from Khodhun Khan, liberating the traditional capital of the Kievan Rus and henceforth the birthplace of Novgorod. In 1270, the Novgorodians captured Zhytomyr from Khanzada Khugis, killing the new faction heir and adding a new region to their empire. However, the Lithuanians besieged the last Mongol city of Pinsk before they could, so Prince Dmitrii and his army halted, awaiting an outcome. The city finally fell in 1279, with Argudhun Khan dying, and the Golden Horde was all but evicted from Europe. It fragmented, and finally merged with the Crimean Khanate in 1502, ending the Mongol presence in Europe. Novgorod vs. Teutonic Knights ]]The Teutonic Order was peaceful with Novgorod since the Battle on the Ice, but in 1263 they laid siege to Velikiye Luki, prompting a declaration of war. Captain Arnold and 255 Teutonic Knights faced Captain Tvorimir and 136 Novgorodian troops, but the Novgorodians repelled them, losing 1 man while killing 147. Two years later, komtur Ruprecht der Rote laid siege to Pskov, held by Vladimir Shubin, but was repelled. In 1266, the Novgorodians laid siege to Pernau (Parnu), with Volchok Kiselev taking it in a close victory; he repelled Thorsten von Austria's Teutonic army. A year later Thorsten attempted to reclaim the city, but was repelled in this attack. The Novgorodians then counterattacked in 1272, with assassin Zavid killing Der Rote, and in 1274 they captured Riga from Dimarus Dietrich's troops, taking a major Teutonic castle. 7,600 Latvians were massacred due to their Catholicism and hostility to the occupiers. In 1276, Grand Duke Alexander proceeded to lay siege to the Teutonic castle of Windau (present-day Ventspils, Latvia in Courland, taking it in a close victory. War with Lithuania ]]The aftermath of the war with the Golden Horde left Novgorod and Lithuania at odds over the ownership of Pinsk, a city which Novgorod had designs on. Prince Dmitrii attacked the city in 1277, slaying the nobleman Butigeidis of Drushkininkai and capturing the fortess. This capture was followed by the capture of Turov by Maksim Semenov, who killed Lithuanian noble Traidenis of Grunwald in the assault in 1278. Two years later, Dokshitsy fell to the Novgorodians, killing Grand Duke Vaisvilkas. The death of the Grand Duke was cataclysmic for Lithuania, who lost their leader. In 1280, the city of Palanga in Latvia was taken by Novgorod after a close victory; the Lithuanian garrison was larger than the besieging Novgorodian army. Later that year, the Novgorodians laid siege to Lithuanian nobleman Zygimantas of Ukmerge in the city of Siauliai. Zygimantas was killed in the siege. Category:Wars